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Chapter 1: Trust
As Appa flew a couple of feet above the river, dipping his toes into the water and watching the waves form around his foot. Katara prepared a short snack, with ingredients she had picked up from an earth tribe not too long ago. Sokka stared at the meal; drooling. Just like a dog would drool at the sight of people eating a freshly prepared meal. Toph was sitting jus behind "twinkle toes", she was waiting for land where she could be at one with herself. Aang was just embracing the wind in his hair (or not in his hair as the case may be); he was just enjoying the morning breeze, the sound of the birds chirping and the sweet, sweet scent of ash…
Ash?
Aang looked around frantically, Toph was next to begin sniffing the air, but was not much use as the smoke smelt as if it was coming from every direction, and the obvious reason, she was blind.
Katara and Sokka didn't seem to be able to smell the burning, either because they were too close to the meal, or because they were just simply too busy.
As Aang searched he suddenly realised that he has a flying bison. Giving the command, they began to rise; slowly at first. Until Appa arched upwards, and began climbing and accelerating. Katara jolted backwards as her meal flew down and landed with a small splash into the river, which was now miles below them. Sokka dived back, trying to save the meal but failed, and decided that he should stare at it with his arm outstretched, as though it would grow a pair of wings and fly back up to him.
Appa levelled up and cruised a couple of meters below the clouds, which were few. It was a surprisingly hot day for early February. Aang searched below and immediately saw a small clearing in the thick forest from which smoke was ascending. Toph was holding tightly onto Appa's fur, still in shock after the sudden burst of speed.
Aang once again called a command and Appa dived downwards, almost vertically. Katara and Sokka flew to the front of the saddle, both screaming. Toph stayed in place, with her firm grip on the bison's fur. Aang kept his concentration as he came closer and closer to the smoke. He realised that the opening in the forest was a lot larger than he expected, it was a few miles in length. It must of taken a lot of firepower to destroy this much of the forest. His vision was blocked when he entered the smoke. Everyone began to cough and choke. So, gaining his energy and grabbing his air staff, he jumped in the air, and with one swoop of his stick, he cleared the smoke. It started to rise again straight away. He diverted Appa away from the clearing and landed just to the left of it, in the thick bushed and trees.
Aang jumped off, filled with rage.
Fire Nation!
Everyone clambered off behind him. Still in a daze after the roller coaster ride they had jus been on.
"Katara, stay here with Top and look after Sokka and Appa! I wont be long" Aang shouted back as he had already began to sprint towards the burning trees.
"Hey! I can look after myself," Sokka shouted back to him. Before falling down, off of Appa and landing in a mud puddle.
"Lets just wait like Aang said" Katara announced, beginning to put out some of the fire with her water bending.
Appa grunted in agreement.
"Yea! Aang wont be long, there are only about a dozen men" Katara replied with one hand spread out on the floor.
Katara walked back to the camp after she had put out the fire on a few trees. "I am going to prepare my meal, again!" She sighed.
"What? That will take forever, I am starving! I cant believe you dropped it Katara. I mean off all the places to drop it, YOU had to drop it off of a flying bison, and it "CONVINIENTLY" landed in the river!" Sokka shouted, cleaning the mud out of his hair.
---()()()---
Aang was nearly at the clearing, he thought of the best way to approach. As he didn't know what threat lay ahead of him.
He jumped in the air and glided in quickly, but seeing no immediate threat he stopped and landed. The smoke had gone, and there was no one to be seen.
He circled the clearing, and as a last resort he shouted.
"HELLO!?!"
Almost as a response he heard footsteps, adjusting his stance he prepared for the worst.
To his surprise he saw around ten earth benders run out of the forest.
"The avatar!" One shouted and threw himself to the floor, bowing in respect. The others all followed and did the same.
Silence.
"Ummmm, please stand up, there is no need, really!"
One of the men stood up and approached the Avatar.
"It is an honour to meet you, oh great avatar! I am General Hunz, and these are my men" he throws an arm back to symbolise the direction of the other men. "What brings you here?"
"Well I saw smoke?"
"Don't worry!" he replied, guessing the Avatar's next few words. "Everything is fine. There was a couple of fire benders here, but we finished them off."
"Well that's good, sooooo…. I will be leaving now, unless there is anything I can help you with?" Aang's eyebrows raised waiting for a response.
The general paused.
"The fire nation have taken out fort, it is the fort which stops the fire nation from reaching Ba Sing Se. It is just us warriors who occupy it, as all of its citizens have moved to Ba Sing Se. They have some of our warriors in the help captive. There are around three water benders in there as well, they came to help. If we can regain control of the fort then we can send word the Ba Sing Se and tell the king of the fire nation at our boarders."
"Show me your village!" Aang replies, rage building up inside of him.
---()()()---
Aang sticks his head out of the bushed with the General, The fort was massive, the walls were tall and thick, some great earth bending was used. There was no gate; it must have been inside the wall, and can only open with Earth bending. The fire benders must be really skilled to take this from earth and water benders.
"We will attack at nightfall. When the fire benders are not aided by the sun, we can meet in the clearing at midnight" Aang says confidently.
They depart from each other. To get some rest before the battle.
---()()()---
"Sir, it was a great idea burning them tree's and waiting for the avatar, but how much longer must we wear these stupid uniforms?" An officer asks the General.
"Just until we get inside the walls, then it is ours for the taking" he smiles and makes a flame appear in his hand, he stares at it "I might even get a raise for this, the fire nation will be proud, they may give us ALL a promotion. Does everyone know the plan?
The team of fire benders all nod.
"Sir why can't we jus attack the Avatar now why he sleeps?"
"…because, the earth warriors inside the fort have been holding their grou8nd since the war started, against wave and wave of fire nation, and now the water benders have arrived, we stand no chance. So we get inside the walls with the Avatar's help. Then we wreak Havoc." He starts the fire and sits down, his men circle the fire. "I will disable the avatar like Princess Azula taught me, once he has broke through the wall, and the fort is ours. Remember your training and this will be sweet. Oh and kill those earth benders."
A fire nation soldier moves some bushes and reveals ten naked earth benders. He pulls out a knife and slits all their throats, one at a time.
A pool of blood is formed as he walks away, concealing them again.
They all rested and prepared for the night ahead. Where they would gain a foothold on the conquer of the earth kingdom!
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this, the next chapter will be more action packed! I was just setting up the story.
Please review: Your suggestions on how to improve the story are welcomed as well as any compliments you have. Please, no flames!
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